A Romantic Break in Åndalsnes
Åndalsnes is a small mountain town, and its romantic appeal comes from scenery more than from a long list of venues. A good day for two strings together a train or a gondola, a viewpoint and a dinner high above the fjord. Costs below are in Norwegian krone (NOK).
Morning: a train through the valley
Board the Rauma Line, which runs between Åndalsnes and Dombås for 114 km. Regular trains need about 1 hour 17 minutes, and in summer the slower tourist runs take about 1 hour 35 minutes. You pass the Kylling Bridge, a stone arch 76 m long that stands 59 m above the Rauma river. The line is open all year, and SJ Norge runs four services each way every day. In summer the Golden Train tourist service also operates between Åndalsnes and Bjorli.
Afternoon: a quiet walk or a museum stop
The waterfront and river walk near Norsk Tindesenter and the gondola station is flat, with no steep sections. If the weather turns, Norsk Tindesenter at Havnegata 2 holds a museum and the Tindestua restaurant, with entry from about NOK 90. If you want to try something together, its climbing wall has 60 routes and 20 top anchors.
With a car, an alternative is the drive up the E136 to Trollveggen, where the visitor centre at Horgheimseidet shows a 14-minute film and has a cafeteria. Looking up at the wall, roughly 1,000 m high, makes a memorable stop. It is a summer attraction, so check dates.
Evening: Rampestreken and dinner at Eggen
Ride Romsdalsgondolen to the top station at 708 m. An adult return ticket is roughly NOK 460 to 625, depending on the season. From there the steel viewing platform at Rampestreken, 537 m high, is about 15 minutes on foot. It is open all year, but ice may call for crampons and deep snow can stop you reaching it. Queues form in summer.
Eggen restaurant at the top serves Nordic dishes with views in every direction. Hours vary by date. Look at romsdalen.no before you book a table and make sure you know when the last gondola leaves.
Packages worth a look
VisitNorway lists packages pairing the Golden Train with the gondola and lunch or dinner at Eggen. Read the dates and inclusions closely, since these are seasonal. The VisitNorway Rampestreken page gives details of the viewpoint.
Staying the night
Rooms in town are listed on Booking.com . A bed near the station keeps both the train and the gondola a short stroll away, as the gondola stands directly across the street.
What to pack
- Warm layers for the top station of the gondola.
- Shoes with grip for the Rampestreken path.
Read more: couple activities in Åndalsnes add more ideas for two.